CLEVELAND (AP) — Kevin Love took part in most of the Cavaliers' practice Wednesday, moving the five-time All-Star closer to playing after missing most of the season with a calf injury. Love has been out since Dec. 27, when he aggravated a calf strain he initially incurred in the team's exhibition opener. Coach J.B. Bickerstaff said Love was able to do “quite a bit of the live stuff” during the workout as the Cavs, who have lost eight straight, got in a previously unscheduled practice after Wednesday's game against San Antonio was postponed because of a COVID-19 outbreak among the Spurs. “Hopefully that’s a good sign,” Bickerstaff said of the latest step in Love's slow improvement. “Obviously you wait and see how he responds tomorrow, but he’s making progress and he was with us for most of the day.” The Cavs host the Denver Nuggets on Friday, a matchup arranged by the NBA after the game against the Spurs was scrapped. Love's return would provide a major boost for the Cavs, who have dropped... [More]

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Golden State Warriors rookie James Wiseman will be sidelined more than a week with a sprained left wrist that the 7-foot center injured against Detroit on Saturday. “It’s a concern any time you lose anybody for any stretch of time, especially a guy that is in the rotation, but we'll figure it out,” guard Stephen Curry said. “Injuries are obviously part of every season, no matter when they come. You've just got to be able to adjust.” Wiseman landed on his wrist when he was bumped coming down from a dunk off an alley-oop pass by Draymond Green with 6:21 remaining in the third quarter of the 118-91 rout of the Pistons but kept playing. Wiseman had an MRI exam on Sunday, coach Steve Kerr said. “It’s a bummer but at least it’s not anything worse and he should be back in 10 days or so,” Kerr said. The big man, who came off the bench the past four games as Kerr switched up his starting lineup, is wearing a brace and scheduled to be re-evaluated in a week to 10 days. Veteran... [More]

Marveling once again, Stephen Curry made 105 straight 3-pointers from the same baseline spot to finish practice Saturday leading into Golden State's game Sunday game at Chicago. The Warriors said they captured the final 103 on video at the Bulls' practice facility. Curry's shots were counted by his longtime shooting man, assistant Bruce Fraser, and coach Steve Kerr only heard about his shooting star afterward. Curry finally missed, then pumped his arms and yelled in delight. “I think his previous record was 77. That’s insane,” Kerr said. “I don't know if the Guinness Book of World Records still exists. That was one of my favorite books growing up. If it still exists that should go in the book, because we have video evidence now apparently.” You bet, two-time MVP Curry can still dazzle day after day at age 32 and at the start of his 12th NBA season. With his next made 3, Curry will have 2,500 for his career — joining only Ray Allen and Reggie Miller to reach that mark. “It was SO amazing... [More]

Marveling once again, Stephen Curry made 105 straight 3-pointers to finish practice Saturday leading into Golden State's game Sunday game at Chicago. The Warriors said they captured the final 103 on video at the Bulls' practice facility. Curry's shots were counted by his longtime shooting man, assistant Bruce Fraser, and coach Steve Kerr only heard about his shooting star afterward. “I think his previous record was 77. That’s insane,” Kerr said. “I don't know if the Guinness Book of World Records still exists. That was one of my favorite books growing up. If it still exists that should go in the book, because we have video evidence now apparently.” You bet, two-time MVP Curry can still marvel day after day at age 32 and at the start of his 12th NBA season. With his next made 3, Curry will have 2,500 for his career — joining only Ray Allen and Reggie Miller to reach that mark. “It was SO amazing — 105 3s in a row,” Fraser said via text message. “I knew it could be special around 30. Just... [More]

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Stephen Curry wants to play until he's 40, perhaps even beyond. And he wants it to be with the Golden State Warriors the entire way. Curry said discussions have begun with the team about a contract extension and he is “fully committed.” The two-time NBA MVP signed a $201 million, five-year contract in July 2017 that initially was the richest ever, until James Harden topped it with a $228 million extension from the Rockets. “Everything's on the table right now,” Curry said. “... It’s a matter of just letting things kind of play out the way that they should. That's kind of where we're at right now.” The 32-year-old Curry is entering his 12th NBA season — and he always aimed to play 16 years in the league, just like father Dell did. “That was always the goal,” Curry said Monday on a Zoom call with reporters following the first day of training camp. “Now it's just more so listen to your body. Who knows. You can't predict the future. I've always said I want to play as long... [More]

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Bob Myers called Stephen Curry to break the devastating news that Klay Thompson had torn his Achilles and would miss another season. Silence on the other end. Myers, the Golden State general manager, made the same call to Draymond Green. Again, only quiet. Thompson tore his right Achilles tendon playing in a pickup game Wednesday and had an MRI exam Thursday in Los Angeles that revealed the severity of the injury that typically requires surgery. Right after Thompson worked himself back from knee surgery in early July 2019, now this, another year on the sideline. The Warriors aren’t ready to say what the next steps are for Thompson until they know more. “What hurts the most — and speaking on behalf of Klay, we will move on and we will be OK and he will be OK — but what hurts the most is the time we put into our jobs, the sacrifices we make to do what we do and to do what he does," Myers said. “And for him to have to now not be able to play basketball, that’s the pain.... [More]

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Bob Myers hears the chatter about everything riding on Golden State's draft pick at No. 2 overall. About all the pressure on his shoulders to find just the right player to join Splash Brothers Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson, star forward Draymond Green and Andrew Wiggins. Someone who will make an instant impact and immediately help the Warriors return to contention and respectability following a last-place finish. All the social media speculation, oh yes, the Warriors' general manager is aware of the intrigue. Might they possibly trade away their pick for flexibility to build another super team, or will they choose to use it? “I read all that stuff, too. I was like, ‘I feel the weight,’” Myers joked on a recent Zoom call. "I feel like every year, everything you do is make-or-break, trade, draft, I don’t know. But you can’t really think like that. You’ve got to operate not out of fear. So, hopefully we get it right, and if you don’t, you deal with that. That’s the life... [More]

NBA players are building on the framework of Colin Kaepernick’s protests during the national anthem that helped raise awareness about police brutality, efforts that have permeated the league since it restarted its season in Florida last month amid the coronavirus pandemic. But where Kaepernick’s demonstrations raised awareness, NBA players want their actions to move the needle further. But transforming the widespread embrace for social justice in America from a moment into a movement requires targeting systemic barriers and changing laws, not just mindsets.One target has been voting, with initiatives such as the LeBron James-led More Than A Vote.“We have some ears," James said recently, “and we will continue to push the envelope."Pushing the voting envelope could provide a tangible legacy for today’s socially conscience players who want to transition symbolism into substantive change.According to Pew Research Center, Black voter turnout saw a sizable jump during the 2018 midterm elections... [More]

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (AP) — Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green’s suggestion for Devin Booker’s future did not amuse the NBA.The league fined Green $50,000 on Sunday for violating the league’s anti-tampering rule with his comments about Booker, the Phoenix Suns’ star guard.“Get my man out of Phoenix,” Green said Saturday during an appearance as an analyst for TNT. “It’s not good for him. It’s not good for his career.”Asked on-air if he was tampering, Green replied, “maybe.”The league tightened its rules before this season when it comes to matters such as tampering, salary cap circumvention and free agency timing rules — with one emphasis being the rule prohibiting player-to-player tampering.Booker has not been to the playoffs with the Suns, who have not made the postseason in 10 years. The Suns are 5-0 so far inside the so-called bubble at Walt Disney World, which is playing host to the NBA's restart, and that streak has moved Phoenix into playoff contention.___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (AP) — Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green’s suggestion for Devin Booker’s future did not amuse the NBA.The league fined Green $50,000 on Sunday for violating the league’s anti-tampering rule with his comments about Booker, the Phoenix Suns’ star guard.“Get my man out of Phoenix,” Green said Saturday during an appearance as an analyst for TNT. “It’s not good for him. It’s not good for his career.”Asked on-air if he was tampering, Green replied, “maybe.”The league tightened its rules before this season when it comes to matters such as tampering, salary cap circumvention and free agency timing rules — with one emphasis being the rule prohibiting player-to-player tampering.Booker has not been to the playoffs with the Suns, who have not made the postseason in 10 years. The Suns are 5-0 so far inside the so-called bubble at Walt Disney World, which is playing host to the NBA's restart, and that streak has moved Phoenix into playoff contention.___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — After reaching five straight NBA Finals, the Golden State Warriors couldn't have foreseen such a strange, disappointing season as they debuted their snazzy new Chase Center in San Francisco.The Warriors had the worst record in the NBA at 15-50 with a roster of largely unknowns taking the court night after night.Kevin Durant had departed. Klay Thompson sat out recovering from surgery for a torn left knee ligament sustained in Game 6 of last year's finals against champion Toronto. Stephen Curry broke his left hand. Andrew Wiggins arrived and never got to showcase his star talent alongside the team's top rotation before pro sports were halted because of the coronavirus pandemic.Steve Kerr's coaching got tested like never before as he relied on rookies and young players to learn on the fly because that's all Golden State had available.Then the Warriors were one of the teams left out when the NBA’s Board of Governors approved a 22-team format for restarting the league season... [More]

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson will not play this season, though it has not been ruled out that he could still compete in the Olympics this summer.It was expected that Thompson would miss the entire season as he recovers from a torn knee ligament, and the Warriors said it definitively before their game against Houston on Thursday night. Coach Steve Kerr said it is too early to rule Thompson out to play for the U.S. team and he hasn't formed an opinion on what would be best for Thompson given July is still five months away.“Just the determination by the training staff that even though he's coming along well there isn't really any chance that he's playing,” Kerr said. “This is what I expected from the beginning given the severity of the injury and the normal timetable, and so here we are. It's no surprise.”Thompson tore the ACL in his left knee last June 13 during the deciding Game 6 of the NBA Finals against the Toronto Raptors and had surgery July 2. He was... [More]

MIAMI (AP) — Most of the top NBA playoff contenders stayed out of the down-to-the-wire frenzy at the trade deadline.Miami and the Los Angeles Clippers beefed up instead.And a slew of other teams — including the Golden State Warriors — made moves with short-term finances and long-term ramifications in mind.The NBA’s 3 p.m. EST deadline Thursday for trades to be consummated did not arrive quietly, with a flurry of deals getting struck in the final hour and at least one other notable move falling apart before reaching the finish line. Deals that included at least 41 players and 15 future draft picks were struck on either Wednesday or Thursday — the biggest move likely being the one Thursday that saw Andrew Wiggins going from Minnesota to the Warriors so D’Angelo Russell could leave Golden State finally be paired with his good friend Karl-Anthony Towns with the Timberwolves.Here's how busy the Timberwolves were at trade-deadline time: They announced the jersey numbers of eight new players Thursday... [More]

MIAMI (AP) — Most of the top NBA playoff contenders stayed out of the down-to-the-wire frenzy at the trade deadline.Miami and the Los Angeles Clippers beefed up instead.And a slew of other teams — including the Golden State Warriors — made moves with short-term finances and long-term ramifications in mind.The NBA’s 3 p.m. EST deadline Thursday for trades to be consummated did not arrive quietly, with a flurry of deals getting struck in the final hour and at least one other notable move falling apart before reaching the finish line. Deals that included at least 41 players and 15 future draft picks were struck on either Wednesday or Thursday — the biggest move likely being the one Thursday that saw Andrew Wiggins going from Minnesota to the Warriors so D’Angelo Russell could leave Golden State finally be paired with his good friend Karl-Anthony Towns with the Timberwolves.Here's how busy the Timberwolves were at trade-deadline time: They announced the jersey numbers of eight new players Thursday... [More]

MIAMI (AP) — Most of the top NBA playoff contenders stayed out of the down-to-the-wire frenzy at the trade deadline.Miami and the Los Angeles Clippers beefed up instead.And a slew of other teams — including the Golden State Warriors — made moves with short-term finances and long-term ramifications in mind.The NBA’s 3 p.m. EST deadline Thursday for trades to be consummated did not arrive quietly, with a flurry of deals getting struck in the final hour and at least one other notable move falling apart before reaching the finish line. Deals that included at least 41 players and 15 future draft picks were struck on either Wednesday or Thursday — the biggest move likely being the one Thursday that saw Andrew Wiggins going from Minnesota to the Warriors so D’Angelo Russell could leave Golden State finally be paired with his good friend Karl-Anthony Towns with the Timberwolves.Marcus Morris leaves New York for Los Angeles, going from the woebegone Knicks to the title-hoping Clippers — who added... [More]

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Golden State's Draymond Green will miss the next few games with a torn ligament in his left index finger, another blow to the already depleted Warriors.The Warriors will also be without DeAngelo Russell for Saturday night's game against Charlotte because of an ankle injury.Although neither injury appears serious, it's the latest setback for a team already reeling from injuries to Splash Brothers Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson. Curry broke his left hand in a fall on Wednesday in Phoenix and had surgery that is expected to keep him out at least three months while Thompson is recovering from ACL surgery and may miss the entire season.Golden State also is without center Kevon Looney (neuropathy) and guard Jacob Evans (left adductor strain.Green had been dealing with a bad back before injuring his finger."He's going to miss the next few games for sure," coach Steve Kerr said, adding that Green will be reevaluated Monday. "It's not something that should keep him out for a long time."Russell rolled his ankle during Friday night's loss to San Antonio and woke up sore, Kerr said.Eric Paschall will start against the Hornets in place of Green while two-way player Ky Bowman will be at point guard. Golden State doesn't have another healthy point guard on its roster, leaving Bowman, a rookie, to run Kerr's offense.__More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/tag/NBA  and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — D'Angelo Russell has done this before, forced to take on a far bigger role just last season because of injuries in Brooklyn. And now the new Golden State guard must do it again with the absence of both Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson in a suddenly short-handed backcourt.Curry broke his left hand in a 121-110 loss to Phoenix on Wednesday night and it remained unclear a day later how long he might be sidelined, while Splash Brother Thompson could miss the entire season recovering from July 2 surgery for a torn ACL in his left knee that he hurt in a Game 6 loss in the NBA Finals that gave Toronto its first title. Curry underwent a CT scan Thursday but the team said it would have specialists evaluate the results before providing an update on his status.However long he is out, it hurts for far more than what he brings on the court. Curry's presence in the locker room provides an example for the young Warriors, and he is their longest-tenured player and their oldest at age... [More]

About a dozen NBA players gathered for a teleconference with officials in the league office this summer, making their case about what they believe is one of the biggest problems in the game.Fan behavior, they said, is getting worse.The numbers show they're right, and if that isn't troubling enough race only adds to the complexity of the issue: Most NBA players are black, and it seems like most of those in the closest seats are white. Not every incident is racially motivated, though some clearly are.After high-profile incidents involving Russell Westbrook, DeMarcus Cousins, Kyle Lowry and others last season — including ones involving racist taunts — zero tolerance for abusive or hateful behavior is now to become the NBA's policy going forward. The league is changing and toughening its code of conduct for fans, especially putting those in closest proximity to the players and the court on alert that anything over the line will lead to ejections and possibly more."We've added any sexist language... [More]

About a dozen NBA players gathered for a teleconference with officials in the league office this summer, making their case about what they believe is one of the biggest problems in the game.Fan behavior, they said, is getting worse.The numbers show they're right, and if that isn't troubling enough race only adds to the complexity of the issue: Most NBA players are black, and it seems like most of those in the closest seats are white. Not every incident is racially motivated, though some clearly are.After high-profile incidents involving Russell Westbrook, DeMarcus Cousins, Kyle Lowry and others last season — including ones involving racist taunts — zero tolerance for abusive or hateful behavior is now to become the NBA's policy going forward. The league is changing and toughening its code of conduct for fans, especially putting those in closest proximity to the players and the court on alert that anything over the line will lead to ejections and possibly more."We've added any sexist language... [More]

Atlanta guard Kevin Huerter saw gimmick defenses throughout high school and college. Box-and-ones, triangle-and-twos and variations thereof, they weren't exactly uncommon for opponents to try.In the NBA, they're a rarity.And Huerter says the reason is simple."I honestly just think players are too good," he said.Coaches may agree. The Toronto Raptors famously and effectively slapped a box-and-one against Golden State's Stephen Curry late in the fourth quarter of Game 2 in last season's NBA Finals, though that was in a situation where the Warriors' other elite scorers from that team — Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson — were both out of the game at the time with injuries.So in that situation, the gimmick seemed apropos.But in most situations, coaches probably wouldn't dare go with one."That worked when there wasn't Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson," Houston coach Mike D'Antoni said. "Gimmicks are gimmicks. You go into a game, especially with us or Golden State or any of about eight teams now in... [More]